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[Non-English content]. Those prices and increases natural gas include or concerned the third quarter alone basically. A couple of words about the market and about the reaction of Grupa Azoty to the market and the impact of the market environment. To understand more of what happens in the marco environment, we should discuss the effects of the pandemic on market envronment because we compare our current situation to previous year's results and market situations. We broke down the impact of the pandemic and fast forward, we will discus Agro Fertilizers and during 2020 and the pandemic year, we did not see any major impact of the pandemic and the demand in terms of the fertilizes in chemistry and the Chemical segement we saw a medium effect depending on the project obviously but all in all this impact of the pandemic was not major impact. However, the pandemic stroke us or hit us specially in the Plastic segements and we saw a major slow down last year in terms of demand on plastics.
Moving on to the current macro economis and macro situation and impact Grupa Azoty, we present to you here the four major paramaters which impact our situation and drive our results in terms of natural gas prices as you can see quite clearly throughout the nine months of the year the increase speed up especially in the Q3 of the year, especially at the end of the quarter. We also saw a major increase in prices and emission allowances which translates into an increase of electricty prices as wells as a slightly creation of exchange rate. It is worth mentioning that at that point currently we still see a major increase in gas prices just contiuing and expect that those high prices of natural gas wil stay with us, will remain on the market for quite sometime. It will obviously depend on the temperature, and on the use of gas especially in the current segement sector of the economy and we need to take into account that those prices will remain high for at least through the period. Moving on to a short summary of situation in terms of revenue and expenses throughout nine months of the year, our prices of usage cost rose
Significantly, not only in terms of natural gas. You can see quite clearly here that prices of a lot of feedstocks went up quite significantly. What we have now is that all our feedstocks and the prices went up to a lesser or larger extent, and they have an impact on our situation. You can also see the structure of gas usage. We use gas mainly in our fertilizers segments, and to a lesser extent in the chemicals segment and in the plastic segment. This also applies to the price of gas, and the increases in the price of gas have a major effect, especially on the fertilizer segment. At the same time, we saw an increase in revenue, mainly on the back of an increase of the costs and the prices of feedstocks, especially, as we said before, natural gas.
Also, all the other products when prices went up, this was combined with high demand for those products. In the third quarter alone, the situation is quite similar. We can see quite clearly that in terms of percentages, in terms of the usage of feedstocks, this increase was larger, is more significant. As I said before, the third quarter of 2021 was a pandemic-stricken quarter. Obviously, depending on the segment, the increases in the prices of feedstocks had a major impact on our results in terms of revenues and expenses, especially after the end of 2020. Moving on to the markets. In terms of Agro Fertilizers segment, as I said before, we see a major increase in the prices of natural gas and other feedstocks.
Luckily, in terms of the demand, in terms of the situation in crops, the situation is quite solid. However, it's worth pointing out that for obviously most, if not all of the processors of fertilizer, the situation is quite challenging. A lot of producers stopped the production or put it on hold because of the situation in the feedstocks market, especially natural gas market. At the same time, imports are not very high, but it's very low level. We can expect that the months to come will not bring any changes, and they will remain the same as in the third quarter of the year.
However, we must remember that despite the fact that there has been a major increase in the feedstocks, feedstock prices and the fertilizer products prices, weather will be the determining factor, and the timing will be a determining factor as well. We must remember that the month of November is traditionally a period in which the demand for fertilizers is lower and will definitely look at market trends, but we do not expect the prices of our fertilizer products to change significantly, mainly due to the trends in terms of the prices of natural gas. In terms of compound fertilizers, the situation is quite similar. We can clearly see a significant increase in the prices of feedstocks, not only natural gas, but other feedstocks as well.
For quite some time, the situation in the fertilizer segment will remain as it is right now. It is worth pointing to a very high demand, which is due to a post-pandemic rebound in the economy, but also certain logistics constraints between Asia and Europe, which makes it difficult to have access to certain products, and also an increase in freight prices and transport prices. This all translates into a solid situation in terms of the chemicals market, especially in oxo alcohols in our case, because they have a major impact on our performance in the period. Not only oxo alcohols, we're also talking about plasticizers and titanium white here. We can see that the market is quite solid.
We can see the situation is quite good, and we keep our fingers crossed, and we count on it that the situation remains as it is. As I said before, we obviously see a clearly high increase of all feedstocks here as well. In plastics, we see a solid demand as well. Logistics constraints, again, which have an impact on the market. From our perspective, a major driver, that is prices of phenol or benzene and the prospects for that particular segment, plastics segment, will definitely depend on what the producers will do in terms of the automotive segment, especially. We keep our fingers crossed that this temporary slowdown will come to its end.
Moving on to our performance by segment. Throughout the nine months of the year, 2020 to 2021 year to date, it is worth focusing on the fact that the segments which contributed most to our solid EBITDA include plastics and chemicals, while the fertilizer segment was under a lot of pressure in terms of natural gas prices. Another major driver was not only the increase in the prices alone, but its dynamics, especially in the third quarter, which translated into a major change in the structure of our EBITDA performance, with the contribution of fertilizer going down, while the contribution of other segments went up. This all shows that diversification is very important. Due to our diversified activities, our performance was higher year-on-year.
In the third quarter alone, we see an intensification of all the phenomena and all the trends that I have discussed before, that is more or higher, better performance in chemicals, in plastics, and lower results in terms of fertilizers. A major sea change in the EBITDA structure. In the third quarter, we see no fertilizer contribution whatsoever, almost. We expect the situation to change in the fourth quarter of the year because as I said, the third quarter is impacted or has been impacted by a major increase in the prices, in the price of feedstocks. The prices of products will only have an impact on our performance in the fourth quarter of the year and in the first quarter of the next year.
We can expect, however, that the high prices of natural gas will stay with us for quite some time, depending on the weather conditions, obviously. Moving on to our major segment, that is Agro Fertilizers. As I said before, we see a major increase in the costs of the segment. You can see that cost broken down in terms of the technical cost of production, in the unit-based technical cost of production of fertilizers. This is a major element, especially in terms of the prices of gas, was compensated, offset by increasing prices of products. However, as I said, the dynamics of those changes, is such that we don't see that positive effect in the prices of products which could offset the increase in the prices of natural gas in the third quarter.
Yet, we'll see that effect in the next quarter, in the fourth quarter of the year. In the third quarter, we can see quite clearly that the trend has intensified and sped up, which was due to the dynamic I have mentioned before. Moving on to the Chemicals segment, you can see that our performance went up quite considerably due to high demand for chemicals, for the chemicals products, combined with the constraints in terms of logistics, which made us stronger in terms of on demand side. Obviously, the rising price of feedstocks were a challenge. However, the dynamic of those changes and increases were not that high, as high as we saw in terms of natural gas for the fertilizers. The third quarter of the year was quite solid for our Chemicals segment.
You can see a strong demand, good performance, so we count on this trend to remain with us in this particular segment. Moving on to the Plastics segment. On the one hand, we can see. We actually see two drivers in this particular segment. On the one hand, we can see good or solid economic situation in the market and the demand, and obviously an increase in the price of feedstocks is significant. However, we must remember that also the volume of our sales went up, as you can see on this slide, in terms of polyamide, natural polyamide, as well as modified polyamide. This had a positive effect on our performance overall. In a nutshell, about our financial standing, our financial condition throughout the discussed periods was quite solid.
At the end of September 2021, our free funding, our free financing sources were quite solid and were mostly dedicated to our major investment, Polimery Police investment. In terms of the debt-to-EBITDA ratio, it was still solid as well. The maximum level is 3.5, and our current level at the end of the third quarter was significantly lower. A couple of words about our investments and CapEx project. Our major CapEx project is obviously the Polimery Police project, which will be discussed in more detail in a second. The second largest investment is the construction of the coal-fired power generation unit at Puławy. This project's current level is at 50%, so we still had a couple of things to do in terms of that particular investment.
The upgrade of the existing nitric acid production unit, as well as construction of new nitric acid production units and neutralization units. The stage of this particular project is at 60%. Moving on to our CapEx figures in the nine months of the year, we're dependent to a major extent on the Polimery Police project. Those CapEx figures went down in terms of this particular project, which was in line with the schedule, the project schedule. It is difficult to compare those figures, the spending figures, year-on-year or quarter-on-quarter because it all depends on the schedule of the project. As I said, this will be discussed in more detail later on.
In the nine months of the year-to-date, in terms of capital expenditure, we see on the one hand a slight decrease in the investment, in this particular investment, and an increase in other investments. This, as I said, is related to the timelines and the progress of work on the construction site. This is, I believe, a good point to tell you a little bit more about this particular investment, our flagship investment at the moment, Polimery Police project. I'll now give the floor over to Mr. Marek Czyż to discuss it. Mr. Marek Czyż representing Polimery Police.
Thank you very much for this introduction. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. As far as Polimery Police project is concerned, as my colleague said, the stage of completion is 60%. We are talking about the project works that has been completed already and also the supplies and deliveries which will be completed in the several months to come. We're pretty close to that point, but also the very process, the project process and the permits and the authorizations for the launch of this particular project. Our budget is at $38 million in terms of CapEx. As my colleagues have mentioned, they should not be compared to previous quarters. They are currently at PLN 138 million . Year-to-date, Polimery Police CapEx is almost PLN 3 billion . In terms of the key developments and the progress of construction installation work, let me discuss it in more detail. On this third slide, you can see pictures showing you four major sub-projects for this particular investment PDH unit.
That is the dehydrogenation of propane and Offshore Gas Terminal, a project which will make it available for us to receive gas from external and suppliers. The PP logistics and PP silos, we see 60 silos already on site, as well as the PP unit. In terms of the progress of work on this project, those works are in full swing, so to speak, in terms of the installation of both under and overground pipelines. We are also installing the major equipment on the construction site. For instance, the module for continuous regeneration for the Offshore Gas Terminal, mainly propane and ethylene tanks in terms of those works.
In the recent time, we completed the outer shell of the roofing, and we are also finishing works or progressing with the inside of those tanks. In terms of the PDH for PP, we are installing reactors for polypropylene as well as polypropylene extruder, which will make it possible to produce the granulate of this particular feedstock. In terms of the major highlights, we are negotiating with the general contractor on the proposal to amend the EPC contract. As we informed you in June and July in the current report, our general contractor proposed certain amendments to the EPC contract due to, first of all, the pandemic, but also to certain technical constraints.
Irrespective of that fact, I'd like to stress that our cooperation and our partnership is smooth and is progressing as planned, and the project is progressing as planned. You can see that progress on a daily basis. The management board of Grupa Azoty Polyolefins, in accordance with the current report, we published our negotiation strategy, and we will sit down with our general contractor to negotiate the EPC contract in terms of the amendments due to the COVID situation and also some technical changes. Other highlights on the construction side includes the first authorization to use a certain part of this installation. That is the 120 kV power network, and also other networks on the construction site.
Thank you very much for this presentation. A couple of words about the performance of our remaining companies. This is presented in summary. In addition to those companies that present the performance on the stock exchange, both Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn and COMPO EXPERT generated quite solid results, especially in terms. I'd like to point out that the situation across the group was quite solid and very stable in this period. You can see that on this slide, which presents the group company's results and financial highlights for the third quarter alone. I'll now give the floor over to Mr. Jacek Janiszek from Grupa Azoty Puławy.
Puławy generated quite a solid result. I'd like to emphasize that the situation of all our companies was quite good in this period. You can see that in this next slide. Moving over to Mr. Jacek Janiszek, Vice President of the Management Board of Grupa Azoty Puławy.
Ladies and gentlemen, in terms of our performance, it was determined by four major drivers, which was mainly driven by abnormally high gas prices. We are sorry for technical problems and interruptions.